Lake Tahoe, Hot August Nights, and a Big Bang
Here's a weird bit of Americana that few people seem to know about: In 1980, a Hungarian political refugee attempted to extort millions of dollars from Harvey's Casino in Stateline,…
Cooking, eating. All of it.
Montreal, Wu Tang, and Unexpected Delight
Jill and I turned going to Laval to see The Final Chamber Tour with Wu Tang Clan and Run the Jewels into a full weekend in Montreal. We stayed in…
A Long Weekend in the Berkshires
Four days. No plans. The highlights: A lazy drive on Hwy 7 through Vermont and Massachusetts. A visit to The Mount, Edith Wharton's home in Lenox, MA from 1902 until…
In Brugge
Last January, Jill and I took 2/3 of our kids to Belgium, The Netherlands, and France for a vacation. I'll skip the long story about United losing Jen's luggage and…
Food Matters: Paris 2025
In January, Jill, her daughter, my son, and I spent four days in Paris after visiting Belgium. The food is a major draw, and this trip yielded some gems. But…
A long weekend in Albany and Vermont
After dressing up for the Breakthrough T1D Capital Region Gala, Jill and I spent a weekend wandering and relaxing in Albany and southern Vermont. I'd never seen the Empire State…
Eating in New Orleans: My favorites
Our trip to New Orleans this week was my first since the early '90s. I don't remember a lot about that visit, other than watching a man carry a goat…
NYC Rambling
A long weekend with miles of walking, interesting sights wherever we turned, and delicious food from Toloache, Oscar Wilde, Milk Bar, and Juniors. Next stop: The North Country.
Portugal: Lisbon, Nazaré, Douro Valley
The idea to go back to Portugal started with a half-baked idea to spend part of December working in Ireland. After Jill and sis-in-law Amy signed on, the destination changed…
Visit Portugal
tldr; version: Portugal is a great off-season destination with mild weather and few crowds, particularly in Algarve where the beaches are full of people during summer. The landscape, history, art…